Undercover
by starlight.moon.princess
Summary: Magnusson isn't the only one who discovered Mary's past. Moriarty did too.


**warnings: don't read if you haven't seen 'His Last Vow.' seriously**

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><p><em>In position<em>

_-M_

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><p>She's spent what feels like a lifetime distancing herself from the woman she once was. In her travels, she picks up a name – a name that it worlds apart from her true one.<p>

She became an assassin to serve her country. She went rogue to find herself. But all she found was a woman she never wanted to be.

It's a slow realisation, that came in the eyes of a child as his mother collapsed, shot fatally in the middle of his birthday party; in the screams of a woman told her husband was killed in a road accident; in a thousand, million other ways she hated being witness to.

In the end, she picks up and leaves, changing her name and face. The only remnant of her old self – the one she hates – lies in a tiny little thumb-drive that is laughably easy to hide.

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><p>As much as she wants to leave her old life behind, she's well aware of the fact that she's made more enemies in her life than most people make acquaintances. Just because she's decided to retire doesn't mean that they'll ever stop searching, so she has to take precautions.<p>

She's one of the best in the world at making sure she's not found, but that doesn't mean anything against him.

Jim Moriarty has in hands in a million pies, and she's only surprised that it's taken him this long to find her.

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><p>A.G.R.A.<p>

Those little initials are enough to give the most hardened criminals horrifying nightmares; nightmares that can make them the most paranoid people in existence. And yet, despite knowing her capabilities, Moriarty has her pointing a gun at an unassuming doctor.

She doesn't understand the consulting criminal. But she supposes that these orders are just another part of Moriarty's insanity. Sending one of the most feared assassins in the world to watch over an ex-army doctor – some would call it a waste of resources. She just accepts it as another facet of an insane man's delirium.

Besides, even though John Watson may be an unworthy target for her abilities (and how she hates to think of them) he's still an interesting man. She's not been living under a rock – the headlines have been the same for her as they have for everyone else.

Sherlock Holmes.

As unassuming a man as John Watson seems to be, she's well aware that it takes nerves of steel to allow oneself to become as close to a man like the detective as he has allowed himself to.

It's fascinating, the contrast between the man everyone sees and the man who lives under his skin – the _**true**_ man. It won't save if Moriarty gives her the order to move – he's nothing to her, and Moriarty has too much on her for her to ignore him – but at least observing him gives her something to do while she waits for her orders, whatever they might be.

In another life – in Mary Morstan's life, not Amanda Abbington's, which is who she is standing here – she thinks they might have had a chance to know each. Maybe even, if she allows herself fanciful thoughts, be friends or more. John Watson is the kind of man she wouldn't mind letting into the life she's building for herself.

But she has-

_Stand down. The detective is dead._

She didn't manage to live as long as she has without being intelligent. The message isn't from Moriarty's hand – that isn't the way he writes. There's only one reason someone else would presume to give her her orders when she's here for Moriarty.

Holmes isn't the only one who's dead – or presumed dead, at least. She's known men like Holmes and Moriarty before. They don't die as easily as they supposedly have.

It's none of her concern anymore. Moriarty was the only one in his orginsation who had any knowledge of her – he didn't get where he was by trusting anyone. And now Moriarty is at best dead, and at worst out of her hair for a good few years.

She's not needed here anymore.

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><p>She knows how to make guns vanish and documents appear as if out of thin air. The next day, Amanda Abbington has been left behind once again, like she always should have been.<p>

Mary Morstan walks into the clinic, job application in hand.

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><p><strong>AN: I love Mary. As much as I went into this series expecting to hate her as an avid Johnlock shipper, I don't. I love her. But her characterisation in the show has raised a lot of possibilities, and I couldn't help but explore them.  
>I hope you guys liked this. As always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)<br>**


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